double agent ( sophitz )
by flustered dreams
Summary: "I CAN'T ESCAPE" sophie is apart of the Neverseen. fitz tries to save her.
1. The Neverseen Agent

**This is going to be one of those stories that is completely unlike or unrelated to the storylines. You know? Those stories or one-shots that people make where the characters live somewhere different or have a weird job or something or are a completely different age?**

 **...Am I just being confusing?**

 **Oh well.**

 **In this particular fanfic, Sophie is...**

 **APART OF THE NEVERSEEN!**

 **Whew! We'll see how this goes!**

* * *

Sophie didn't know why the Neverseen kept her at arm's-length. After everything she'd done to try and prove herself, they still did not seem to trust her.

She couldn't figure out why, though.

Even Uncle Gethen seemed to dislike her. Sometimes he'd be almost 'proud' of her, but she'd caught him sometimes, when he'd thought she wasn't looking, eyeing her warily and occasionally glaring or rolling his eyes.

Uncle Gethen had been there for her ever since she could remember. Which was... since she was 12.

She was missing a couple years worth of memories, which was weird, because she had a photographic memory.

But Uncle Gethen had told her that her parents had died, tragically in a explosion made by... the Black Swan.

Sophie shuddered at the thought of the name.

The Black Swan was an evil organization against them, Gethen had explained. Uncle Gethen had also explained to her that she'd been near when the explosion happened, and she'd been knocked out so hard and for so long that when she awoke, her memories failed to recall.

Something seemed off about the story, but Sophie _had_ to believe it. It was all she knew.

Sophie jumped in her chair when Fintan entered her room.

It was small. Very small.

She had a wicker chair and a small cot, but that was all she could fit. The Neverseen hideouts were tiny. But Sophie smiled as she looked at Ella, her bright blue elephant, lying on her bed.

"What is it?" she asked, trying to stay cheery.

She had to be eager to do what they wanted if they were going to trust her.

Fintan cringed. "Wipe that stupid grin off your face, before I burn it off."

Sophie's face fell and Gethen came in beside Fintan. "Leave my niece alone." He looked at Sophie. "We've got a mission for you."

Sophie perked up. "You're letting me go on a mission?"

"Kind of. Come to the main room, so we can-"

Sophie jumped up. "Yes!" she celebrated. She cleared her throat when Fintan and Gethen stared at her like she was stupid. She folded her hands behind her back and stood up straight. "Of course."


	2. Don't Muck It Up

"WE ARE HERE," UNCLE GETHEN'S VOICE BOOMED, "TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT TO LET SOPHIE IN ON A MISSION."

The Neverseen members exchanged glances, then kept looking at Sophie.

Ruy, a Psionpath with an attitude, smirked. "You've got to be kidding me, Gethen. Look at that girl."

"I'm not little or anything," Sophie smart-mouthed. "I'm seventeen, mind you."

"See? Childish. Little."

Sophie stalked up to him. "I have more maturity than you, I'm sure. Plus, I would be an ally, a plus, to help you all out on missions. Must I remind you I have five abilities?"

A couple other Neverseen members snickered at her back-talk. Ruy grit his teeth angrily.

Sophie smiled, proudly, then walked back to Uncle Gethen. She _loved_ how she could upset the members so easily. It was fun.

Gethen grinned at her for once. "My niece has an attitude. She got the best of you, Ruy, did she not?"

"Talking back is not-"

"Back on topic..."

Sophie looked at him. "Uncle, what's the mission you're sending me on?"

"Not now. We haven't even decided if you _are_ proceeding with the mission."

Why was he being so secretive? Why did he still not trust her?

Alvar, a man in his twenties with dark hair, a square jaw, and a infamous ability of vanishing, smiled. "I say we let her."

Sophie held in her squeal of delight. One person agreed!

Fintan sighed. "She is obviously eager to fulfill it. Why not let her?"

Whoa, whoa, whoa! _Fintan_ was with her? Fintan was on _her_ side? He never was!

Brant (LODESTRA SPOILER! Yes, I know he _ in Lodestar. But remember this is a different universe, basically! That particular event did not happen!), a Pyrokinetic with many scars bubbled on his face, made his thin lips curl into a evil smirk. Sophie tried not to shudder.

She'd always despised him. She never really knew why, though.

"I'm in."

Sophie looked hopefully and pleadingly aqnd Uncle Gethen "I agree. It is decided. You will fulfill a mission we give to you."

Everyone else arose from their chairs they had been sitting in and left the room. Sophie stayed behind with Gethen, because he had asked her to.

Sophie was kind of hoping to have a con gratulations, but Gethen's voice was dark and cold when he looked at her before he left the room. "And you _will_ not go against any order. Or fail."

Sophie swallowed and kept her head high as she was left alone in the room _._

 _This is your chance, Soph. Don't muck it up._

* * *

 **MWAHAHAHAHA.**

 **I CAN'T WAIT FOR THIS...**


	3. The Black Swan Agent

FITZ STAYED IN THE COMMON AREA OF Alluveterre, a Black Swan hideout. He was in one of the treehouses, alongside his friends.

Keefe Sencen. Best friend since... Oh, a long time. Blonde hair and ice blue eyes.

Biana Vacker. Well, she was more his sister. Same brown hair and teal eyes.

Dex Dizznee. They had a bad past, but they're all good now. Red hair and periwinkle eyes.

He paced, waiting for Mr. Forkle, a very well trained Telepath of the Black Swan to show up.

"What's this mission Forks is sending us on?" Keefe asked, flopping in a beanbag that looked like a rock.

Fitz shrugged. "I have no cluie. He just left a note by my bed saying to meet here."

"Not a very secretive place..." Biana noted, braiding a strand of her hair, bored.

Fitz shrugged. "Maybe it wasn't supposed to be secretive."

Suddenly, Mr. Forkle appeared around a corner. "Indeed, Mr. Vacker. Not secretive."

Dex had jumped and accidentally dropped the invention/gadget he had been working on. "Hey!"

Mr. Forkle gave him an apologetic shrug. "You kids should be more careful, I guess."

"I was being careful. You just scared me!" Dex defended. He started picking up the strewn cogs and bolts and muttered under his breath, " _'You kids'_..."

Mr. Forkle ignored it and looked at everyone else. "I'm afraid this assignment will only involve Mr. Vacker. Can you all proceed to exit?

Biana and Dex cried out in unison, "What?" at the same time Keefe smirked and retorted, "Me and Dex kinda live in this building..."

Mr. Forkle was not in the mood for games. "Out. Especially you, Mr. Sencen."

Keefe pretended to look hurt as he lefty. "Ouch, Forks! I thought the father-figure of Sophie would be nice to me!" he called as he left.

Fitz looked at the floor, suddenly saddened.

It had been years since Sophie had gone missing, randomly, one day. She had only been fourteen and then, BAM! Gone like a gust of wind. No one could find her.

Mr. Forkle gave him a sad smile. "I miss her, too. But it's not to fret, honestly."

Fitz frowned. "Why not?" he whispered, hating his voice for cracking along the edges.

Mr. Forkle took in a shaky breath as he started to pace, hands folded behind his back.

Fitz was about to ask him something, when he started speaking to him, turned away. "You know how I have been sending Granite and Squall and countless others out on secret missions I have not told you about?"

Fitz's forehead creased, confused. Was he rubbing it in or something? "Umm... yeah?"

Mr. Forkle turned back around to look at him and Fitz noticed his eyes were glassy. He smiled. "There is a chance my Moonlark is alive."


	4. What Do You Need Me To Do?

"W-WHAT?" FITZ GAPED. "N-NO. IMPOSSIBLE. SHE..." It pained him to say it, but he gulped down the bile in his throat. "She's dead. If she were alive, she would've reached out to me. Cognates, remember? She can reach me halfway across the world?" Fitz lifted up his hands, showing Mr. Forkle his set of Cognate rings. His hand dropped into his cloak pocket to feel Sophie's set.

He always carried them with him.

The day Sophie had gone missing, she obviously had forgot to wear them or something. Grady and Edaline, Sophie's adoptive parents, had found them on her dresser next to her bed and had returned them to Fitz.

Sophie's panic switch was found outside the house, in the dirt.

Someone had taken it off, they knew it. She wouldn't have thrown it in the dust. Dex was her friend and if she hadn't liked the item, she would have told him. Dex had been given that back.

Mr. Forkle's hopeful smile grew wider, the tears twinkling in his eyes. "Not if her memories were erased and she was relocated."

"Relocated? Erased?"

Mr. Forkle nodded, pacing again. "A blonde girl, about the age Sophie would have been about now, was seen with the Neverseen."

"Brown eyes?" Fitz asked.

Mr. Forkle stopped and sighed. "Squall was too far away to notice that detail."

Fitz threw his hands up in the air, his balloon of hope deflated. They flopped back down at his sides, dramatically. "So it could very well just be another one of those normal Neverseen jerks?"

He shook his head. "Why would they be dragging along a _teen blonde girl_ , randomly? It's not like they have offspring!"

Mr. Forkle had said the last part as a little joke, trying to lift Fitz spirits. It did not.

"Well, what are you saying?"

"I'm saying, the Neverseen most likely did not do away with her. We're thinking they got a Washer to erase all her past memories and then made her believe she was on their side. Why do away with something very powerful, when you could just use it as your own?"

Fitz grit his teeth. "Sophie isn't... _wasn't_ a weapon."

"I never implied my Moonlark to be a weapon. Simply a gifted, talented being."

Fitz sighed. "Sorry."

"No apology needed. Now, back on track. We need someone on the inside job to figure out who this really is. If it's Sophie, great! We'll try to get her back. If it isn't... Well, we'll figure out who it is later."

Fitz nodded, basically seeing his train of thought. "I'm that person on the inside, aren't I?"

Mr. Forkle smiled. "Well, we'd like you to be."

It was silent for a bit and Fitz ran a hand through his hair, taking his turn to pace.

What if it _was_ Sophie? What if she _was_ alive?

He stopped, abruptly and turned to Mr. Forkle. "What do need me to do?"


	5. Puppet, Burden, Or Prisoner?

"WHAT?" SOPHIE ASKED, INCREDULOUSLY. _"THAT'S_ THE BIG, OH-SO-IMPORTANT MISSION?"

Gethen tapped her nose, playfully. "Never said it was big _or_ oh-so-important."

Sophie groaned. "Uncle Gethen..."

"What? It's not that hard of a task."

 _Exactly! It's boring is what it is!_

"I know..." she mumbled. "Isn't there something else I can do?" she pled.

Gethen shook his head. "Sorry."

But he was not sorry. Sophie could tell he was enjoying seeing her moping and slightly angry.

Sophie sighed.

 _Acting this way will not make them trust you anymore. Be happy with the task you were given and maybe someday you'll get to do something better._

Sophie forced a smile. "Thank you for giving me an assignment."

Gethen smiled, too. He pat her head. "Glad to see you so willing."

With that, he left her in her bedroom. He had come in in the middle of the night to tell her what she would be doing.

Sophie rubbed her eyes sleepily as she stretched and hopped out of bed, going to the petite fireplace in the wall. Sophie lit the wood on fire, easily and rubbed her arms.

It was cold. _Freezing_. She could see her breath in the air.

She was kind of glad Gethen had woke her up. Her feet, specifically her toes, looked like they had started to get frostbite or something.

Sophie didn't know where they were. She was never allowed to know.

Whenever they moved locations, they sedated her. Or, if she refused the sedative and threatened to, say, inflict on them, they just blindfolded and gagged her, then dragged her off with them.

Sophie shuddered at the images. She could not decide which experience was more terrifying.

 _Equal,_ she decided. _They are equal._

She hated being treated like a little puppet. _Hated_ it. _Despised_ it. And that's always how they treated her.

Sophie sat on the cold stone floor and pulled her blanket off her bed. It was thin and made of wool, knit carefully. But it had many frayed edges and holes.

She wrapped it around herself and scooted closer to the fire. Then she grabbed Ella from the bed and hugged her.

"Hi, Ella," she whispered to the stuffed elephant. Sophie buried her face in it, letting some tears roll onto the stuffed animal and soak into the blue fuzz. "When will they stop treating me like a kid?"

 _No, not kid. Prisoner. Burden. Puppet._

Sophie buried her face deeper, as if she could escape the reality.

She could not.

 _What did I do to deserve this life?_


	6. The Plan

"YOU WANT ME TO WHAT?" FITZ ASKED.

Mr. Forkle smiled. "Honestly, I didn't think you'd react this way. I thought you would have guessed that was what you'd have to do."

 _Now that he thought about it..._

Fitz shook his head. "Alvar is going to recognize me. He'll never believe that I just randomly want to join the Neverseen."

Mr. Forkle waved a finger. "Ah, but he will. _If_ you sell it."

"And how do I 'sell it'?"

"Say you're betraying us."

"And when they ask why...?"

Mr. Forkle laughed. "Have faith in me! Let me finish, Mr. Vacker. If it is really Sophie, and there is a 90% chance it is, tell them you know Sophie has good reasoning. And if she decided to join the Neverseen, she must have had a good reason, so you want to follow in her footsteps!"

Fitz was still confused. "But you said she didn't join them willingly. You said she had her memories erased."

"Exactly! Don't you see? They'll think you a fool and let you in!"

Fitz snapped his fingers. "Ohh! I get it!" But Fitz was still wary. "You said there was a 90% chance it's her..." he whispered.

Mr. Forkle gestered for him to continue.

"..What about the other 10% chance?"

"Well, that's really your choice."

Fitz's brows crept together. "What?"

"It's you choice to stay positive or to become negative. I say, glass half full. But I could just as easily say glass half empty."

Fitz nodded, slowly. "I get it. Focus on the positive 90%, right?"

"You've got it," Mr. Forkle smiled.

He turned to leave, but Fitz held up a hand. "Wait!"

Mr. Forkle swung around. "Yes?"

"Can I... tell the others?" When Fitz noticed Mr. Forkle's frown he added, "Just a-about Sophie?"

"I'm afraid if you tell them, they'll want to go with you."

"Please!" he begged. "They can't live in the shadows. Glass half full, remember? They deserve to have some hope."

Mr. Forkle turned away from him and looked at the door for awhile. Fitz almost thought Mr. Forkle had forgotten what they were talking about, until he spoke up, "Go ahead."

He left without another word. Not even a goodbye.

* * *

 **Ok, so...**

 **I write things only when I feel motivated and excited to.**

 **And right now...**

 **My heart is only feeling this story.**

 **Soooooooooooooooooooooooooooo...**

 **The sequel thing To _The Stars, For You, I'll Reach_ may have to wait. Same with _Run And Hide_. So sorry!**


	7. Biana Fainted

"SO," KEEFE SAID AS HE FLOPPED INTO A BEANBAG. "WHAT DID FORKLE HAVE TO SAY?"

Fitz wrung his hands and stared at the floor. "Uh..."

Biana and Dex took their own seats, too.

"He said 'uh'? Well, what a great conversation," Keefe said sarcastically.

Biana punched him in the arm.

Fitz was the only one standing, now and it made him _very_ nervous. "You have to promise not to tell anyone."

Dex looked at him, oddly. "What have you gotten yourself into?"

"Nothing, honestly, I just..."

"Fitz, what happened?" Biana asked, her voice going a little quiet, realizing this was serious.

"Promise," he repeated. "Promise you won't tell. _Anyone_. Not even Grady and Edaline."

"Grady and...? Fitz..."

"Calm down. Just promise."

They all exchanged worried looks, but eventually agreed.

"Just saying," Keefe started, "I don't like your emotions right now."

Fitz whapped at him when he noticed Keefe had reached over and was touching his leg. "What are you doing?!"

"Trying to see how serious this is." He turned to Dex and Biana. "It's serious."

Biana swallowed. Dex muttered, "I could see that."

"Guys," Fitz said, drawing their attention. "You're not going to believe me."

"We really don't care! Get on with it!"

"I'm with the Technopath," Keefe stated.

Ftz took a deep breath. "Sophie is-"

"I thought we agreed not to talk about her," Biana croaked, the pain clear. "Just because she's been gone for, what, four years? Three? Who cares. That doesn't mean the pain hasn't vanished."

"I know," he sighed, running his hand through his hair. But he was overly joyous on the inside.

 _Wait till they knew!_

Keefe frowned. "Bro, you're... acting weird. Are you holding in a smile? You should _not_ be happy about Sophie-"

"I'm not," Fitz assured, biting his lip to hold in the smile.

Keefe rolled his eyes. "Ok, what's going on?" he reached out and touched Fitz's wrist, and Fitz didn't flinch away.

Keefe did, though. "Why are you _happy?!"_

Biana gaped and Dex's eyes narrowed.

Fitz rushed to explain. "No, no! She..." He took another breath, growing serious. "What I'm about to say is going to sound insane, but... there's a 90% chance Sophie is still alive."

Biana fainted.


	8. Get Going

"YOU'LL BE NICE, CORRECT?"

"Yes, Uncle Gethen."

"Good. You're to meet him in the mountains, understand?"

 _Why does my mission have to be to bring a new member back to our hideout? It's barely even qualified to be called a mission!_

"Yes, Uncle Gethen."

Gethen smiled, looking proud as if he had her under control, and he slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out a long and slender pole mad of gold. At the top there was a beautifully cut crystal.

A pathfinder.

Sophie bit her lip as she was handed the priceless item. Uncle Gethen, or anyone, never let her hold such things of value. But _use_ them? This was a whole new experience!

Sophie suddenly looked down at her clothes.

All black, she wore.

Black shirt. Black pants. Black boots.

She'd been told by her uncle that he had found her after the explosion wearing a dress, butt other tha that, she had never worn one. OR been given one.

Well, at least she thought. Of course, she still was missing those years worth of memories... She could never really know for sure.

Perhaps her parents had bought her some dresses, back then.

"Umm... U-Uncle?"

"Yes?"

"Won't I be cold?"

Gethen snapped his fingers. "Ah! Almost forgot."

Sophie was a little surprised at what he pulled out from behind his back.

"Is... that for me?"

 _No. Don't get your hopes up. He doesn't think of you as worthy enough to even be considered one of them. Why would this be for you? It's probably for the new member..._

Sophie was passed the thick, black cloak. She ran her hand over the white eye symbol on the sleeve, feeling the embroidery.

Gethen laughed. It wasn't heartwarming, but it was a laugh, none the less. "Yes, it's for you, silly girl. Don't you see? You're one of us, now."

Sophie looked up at him. Her eyes glittered and she grinned. "Really? Even with..." Sophie gestured to her eyes. Uncle Gethen had never been able to explain those.

Brown instead of blue.

"Just because your eyes are freaky doesn't mean you can't be a valuable part of this team."

 _Could've done without the 'freaky' comment, but..._

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me. Get going."


	9. No Regrets

FITZ EYED THE PATHFINDER IN HIS HANDS, NOT SO SURE HE WANTED TO USE IT.

Weeks had passed and he'd set up everything with the Neverseen.

Successfully contacted them, with some help from Dex and his gadgets. He'd told them the carefully crafted lie. It had taken awhile, but they soon seemed to trust him. They kept contacting him, setting up a time to meet when he could 'betray' the Black Swan and officially run to them.

Finally, he'd gotten some news back from them after awhile!

A note with directions as of which way to spin the crystal on a pathfinder to leap him to a meeting spot. He was told that there he would be met by a member of the Neverseen which would take him to their hideout.

Fitz was... surprised they were trusting him.

Well, he _was_ acting like a fool to them, saying he was following in Sophie's 'good judgment footsteps' when really she had been technically brainwashed.

But they didn't know he knew that.

He looked back at all his friends. "Why am I being crazy? What if it's not her?"

"What if it _is_ her?" Mr. Forkle countered. "You want to leave your friend with the Neverseen for the rest of her life? After all you and your father did to get her out of the Lost Cities to try to let her live a normal elf life?"

"Normal? I'd say I ruined her life! Nothing she got to do was normal!"

"She loved you," Mr. Forkle pointed out. "All of you. You were all her normal. Did you not see that? Any of you?: Were you blind?"

Then the flashbacks began for everyone.

Whether they were at a school lunchroom, a hallway, a random location, Exillium, or maybe at Everglen, Rimeshire, Candleshade or Havenfield, they all included Sophie.

They saw all sides of her.

Mad. Sad. Angry. Happy. In peace.

They were like photographs, still.

Sophie laughing, time frozen.

Her smiling.

Blushing.

Running.

Screaming as someone scared her for fun.

Even frowning.

Sometimes tears streaming down her face.

Other times, just staring at something, completely peaceful.

Maybe even determined. Angry.

Either way, she looked beautiful to all of them. But not outwardly. Yes, she was pretty, but they all focused on the inside.

How she made them feel...

Cheerful. Mad. Strong. Handsome or pretty. Important. Loved.

Fitz nodded. "I've gotta try."

He made the path of light and stepped into it.

 _No regrets._


	10. Who Are You?

SOPHIE SHIVERED IN THE COLD, WRAPPING THE NEW CLOAK AROUND HER ARMS.

Her fingers were freezing and her teeth chattered. She tucked a strand of her blonde hair behind her ice-cold ears as it whipped in the chilly wind. Fat flurries of snow whisked through the air and as Sophie paced on the mountain, the snow crunched beneath her feet.

She rubbed her cold nose with her cloak, trying to bring some feeling back to it.

 _When was this new member going to appear?_

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH." she groaned. "Why did Gethen have to chose such a freaking cold place?! He could have chosen a tropical beach, for cryin' out loud!"

There was a small intake of breath from behind her. Sophie frowned and slowly turned around.

A slight blush crept onto her cheeks when she saw a teenage-looking boy behind her, a ways away. He had dark hair, a square jawline and striking teal eyes. Sophie tried to convince herself the color on her cheeks was from the blistering wind.

"Are you...?" Sophie started.

How odd that something about him seemed... familiar.

She swallowed when he seemed speechless. "Are you alright?"

He nodded and for the first time he spoke. His voice was tainted with a deep, crisp accent. "Yeah, I just... never thought I'd see you wearing one of those."

Her eyes narrowed, confused and cautious. "I... don't know you, though." She pulled out an itchy eyelash, her nervous habit.

"You still do that, too?"

Sophie was a little annoyed. Who was this? She scoffed and rolled her eyes. "You know what, let's get going. You have me mistaken for someone else." Sophie pulled out a blindfold from her cloak pocket. "This is for you."

The boy smirked. "What a charming welcoming present, Sophie."

She paused. "How do you...?"

He cleared his throat. "Uh, Gethen told me."

Sophie slowly nodded, then proceeded to help tie the blindfold around his head and over his eyes. "If it helps, they do this all the time to me. I'm not really allowed to know anything."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Uncle Gethen, especially." She laughed. "And sadly."

"Uncle Gethen?"

"Mmhmm."

Sophie stopped, finished with the blindfold. She frowned.

 _Stop being nice to him. He's new and unexperienced._

Her voice hardened. "Let's go."


	11. Arrival

SOPHIE WALKED INTO THE MAIN MEETING ROOM OF THE NEVERSEEN HIDEOUT.

Gethen was talkin to Trix, Umber, Fintan, Ruy, Brant, _and_ Alvar. Sophie knew they were talking about the new arrival she had brought.

She cleared her throat, loudly, drawing their eyes. "We're here."

Ruy was the first to speak. "Holding hands, hmm?"

Sophie turned around in alarm to see she was still holding the boy's hand from the leap. He was still blindfolded, too.

She dropped it abruptly and took the blindfold from him in a swift motion as some snickered. "He was blindfolded, fool. What was I supposed to do? Let him run into walls like a chicken with his head cut off?"

"Petite spitfire blonde, aren't you?" was all Alvar said. A couple laughed.

Sophie shrugged. "Say all you want. We all know that when I start smart-mouthing you so bad you won't have a comeback, you'll use your lame vanishing trick to run off like a coward."

"Got you boy, didn't she?!" Trix exclaimed, chuckling and clapping Alvar on the back.

Even the boy behind her snickered. She glanced back at him.

 _Don't stand there. Go meet them. You'll come off a coward if you don't. Then they won't trust you. I've had my go with that._

The boy jumped. _I forgot how you do that,_ he transmitted back.

She frowned. _You're a Telepath? And... do what?_

Alvar stood and the boy fidgeted. "Finally came to your senses, brother?"

Sophie's frown deepened as she looked back and forth between the two. She lit up. "Alvar! You didn't tell me you had a brother!"

Alvar smiled as Gethen and Fitan laughed. "I do like to keep some secrets, you know."

Sophie rolled her eyes. "Yeah. I know."

Sophie turned to the boy. She lightly punched him in the shoulder. "Any sibling or friend of that moron is a friend of mine. What's your name?"

Brant chuckled in the background. It was deep and raspy, mmore,like a cough. Sophie heard him either clap Alvar on the back or playfully over the head. _"Moron."_

The boy seemed a little at a loss for words. "Uh..." He was looking around the room at everyone. His teal eyes finally steadied on her. "Fitz."


	12. Living Arrangements

**Everyone have/having a good Christmas?**

 **Remember, spend time with your families and friends. Don't get too caught up in other things :)**

 **My family has bid me farewell for the night, _the only reason I am on here._ **

**DON'T GET TOO CAUGHT UP IN THE INTERNET!**

* * *

 _THIS_ WAS SERIOUSLY SOPHIE?

No. Impossible. She's with the Neverseen! She's standing in the same room as _FINTAN_. She hasn't recognized me! She smart-talked Alvar!

Who _was_ this person? Definitely not her.

Fitz's head swarmed with the thoughts as he looked around at the people.

Trix. Fintan. Umber. Ruy. Brant. 'Uncle' Gethen.

... And Alvar.

 _What in the world have they done with my friend? She doesn't recognize me, does she? Or... no. She HAS to. Maybe this is her plan! Act like she doesn't know me, then leave with me in the night! Yeah..._

But as Fitz observed the scene, his hope diminished further and further.

He looked around at everyone, so confused. They were acting like a sick in-look-alike family.

Fitz had distantly heard Sophie say something, and when he turned back to her, she was looking at him, expectedly, awaiting an answer. Her hand was on her curved hip and her full lips were twisted into a perfect half-smile. It looked mischievous, yet halfway like she was a model, posing for a camera. Her brown eyes twinkled from the flame of the chandelier filled with candles on the ceiling, adding effect to the gold flecks swirling inside, like a snow globe.

 _She asked your name, doofus,_ his mind rang out.

He swallowed, his throat having run dry. "Fitz," he croaked.

* * *

SOPHIE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO THINK OF FITZ.

The name almost... I donno... rang a bell?

She was utterly confused. Why did this stranger look so familiar?

"Well, we'll have to set up living arrangements," Gethen decided.

"Oh, don't you dare put him with us," Ruy said. "It's much too crowded as it is."

Alvar leaned back in his chair. "Why not just put the two of them together?" He motioned to Sophie then Fitz.

Sophie looked back at Fitz, brows pressed together, hand on her hip, once again. She looked back to Alvar, hand dropping from her hip. "Why have a boy in my room? Plus, he's your brother."

Trix laughed. "I'd think from your years here, you'd learn we aren't 'warm' people. We don't give welcoming's, even to long-lost-siblings."

Sophie looked to Gethen, who was nodding. She gaped. "You can't possibly be serious! Where would he sleep? The room's much too small to move another bed in there."

"Could always use a bunk bed," Umber suggested.

Sophie laughed, unhappy. "What do you think I am, a five-year-old? I'm not sleeping on a freaking bunk bed."

"Adults sometimes sleep on them," Fintan pointed out. "I've seen humans do it. Mostly the ones who go off for war."

"Who cares about humans at this point? I'm not human, I'm an elf. And what do humans living arrangements have to do with this situation? You take me for an idiot!"

"No, I-"

"Horse dung, you _bastard!"_

More people snickered at Sophie's temper and her quick remarks.

Sophie jolted and swung around when a steady hand was placed on her shoulder. Fitz flinched away, his gaze darting around and barely meeting her eyes.

 ** _Sorry_ _, I-I was trying to calm you._**

Sophie's eyes widened. _No one's able to get in my head! How'd you get in my head?!_

 _ **I can't read your thoughts, don't worry. Just transmit-**_

 _THAT DOESN'T ANSWER MY QUESTION! I'm sick and tired of not being given answers!_

She snarled, basically outward, and turned to the Neverseen members. She crossed her arms, dropping the conversation with Fitz. Her short temper was used up like a mini-candle, all burned-out and down. "Why doesn't he get a say in who he's staying with?"

Everyone fell silent. She heard Fitz swallow behind her.

"...Alright. What's your say?" Gethen asked, slowly.

Sophie turned to face Fitz, again.

He looked at her apologetically, a smile twitching on his lips. Even at that, Sophie's face started to burn with color.

 ** _Do you mind if I...?_**

That was gone, though, as Sophie whipped around to the others, her arms shooting up angrily, then flopping back down at her sides.

 ** _They're not pleasant, like you,_** he added when some chuckled and Sophie seemed _very_ angered.

Sophie took in a slow breath, as if trying to ignore him. She rubbed the back of her neck, awkwardly, not turning back around to him. "He... He can stay with me," she croaked to the others.

"Aww. Love at first sight," Ruy joked. Brant playfully punched him in the arm.

Gethen grinned. "There. It's settled."

* * *

 **Sophie has an attitude, what with living with the Neverseen for a couple of years! ;D**

 **Well, anyways, watching 'Home Alone' while home alone. :P**

 **Merry Christmas... :)**


	13. I'll Tell You

**Just randomly realized...**

 **Coming 2017...**

 **In May...**

 **I'll be 15.**

 **YIPPEE.**

 **Not that far away!**

 ***wincing* I'm getting old. I want to remain 14 FOREVER! Will you do me a favor and consider me 14 even when I am 15?**

 **PLZ? *puppy dog eyes***

* * *

SOMETHING HAD TRIGGERED AT THE MENTION OF THE BOY'S NAME, IN THE BACK OF SOPHIE'S HEAD.

Fitz...

She'd kept her cool, though.

She decided to unearth the memory or whatever later.

It was later on in the evening and they really _had_ set up a bunk-bed in the room. Luckily, it was long and fairly wide, big enough to fit their tall teenage bodies.

Well... at least, Fitz's.

Sophie was short as a stack of pancakes, as Ezra, a Neverseen member at the age of 23, had once told her. They'd formed a small friendship over the years. But not a great one. It's not like villains care too much if they have friends on their side. In the end, it's every man for himself.

...Or woman.

...Or elf.

Or... whatever.

The room seemed a little smaller, now, what with the tall new bed, made of sleek, glistening black metal. Sophie knew the white mattresses may have looked comfy, but were going to be stiff like a lump of clay.

Yippee...

Sophie flopped onto the bottom bed. "I don't want to sleep on top. I call this."

Fitz shrugged and slipped off his cape, and for the first time Sophie noticed he had a small backpack he was carrying. Apparently he had hidden it under his cape.

Sophie frowned when he tossed the cape up onto the bed, setting the bag down for a second. The bag was not fully zipped, for a tuff or limb of something was slightly sticking out. It was bright red, like a tomato.

"What's that?" Sophie questioned, reaching out of bed and poking the furry thing.

Fitz quickly scooped up the bag and hugged it to his chest, concealing it mostly with his arms. "Uh... Nothing."

Sophie propped up her elbow and rested her cheek against and in her palm. "Mhmm. _Sure_. I'll find out what you're hiding..." She ended the short conversation by flopping back over onto her other side, facing the wall instead of him.

Even after a couple moments of awkward silence, Sophie knew he was still standing there. She turned her head, not her whole body. "Whatcha lookin' at? Ma' butt?"

Fitz's cheeks flamed and Sophie half-smiled, proud she had gotten to him. "N-no I was-"

"What? Never seen a girl before?" She winked, then, which made him turn a shade darker, which Sophie hadn't thought possible.

"I'll... be up here."

He started to climb the ladder. But Sophie wasn't done.

"Don't worry, sweetheart. I'll visit you later!" She puckered her lips and made an exaggerated smooching sound.

Sophie heard him flop backwards on the bed and the structure wobbled a little and squeaked. For a second she thought it might fall over. It didn't.

But she could just imagine him laying down, his face covered with his hands. "Ugh, you're worse than Keefe!"

Sophie's mind buzzed, literally. Her skull almost vibrated, like her brain was straining extra hard to remember something. Sophie shook it away. "Who?"

"A blonde guy. He's my friend. Causes a lot of trouble, though."

"Trouble, hmm? And, what," Sophie started as she crawled out from her bunk bed. She put her feet on her mattress and stood up high on her tiptoes, looking at Fitz while holding onto the top-bed-side-barriers. "You don't like a bit of trouble?"

"I tend to try to avoid it."

She rose a teasing eyebrow and with a forced sigh she got back down and to her bed, flopping on it. "Well, that's too bad, sugar. _I'm_ trouble."

He snorted. "You?"

"Ooh, I see. You think you're the big man in town!" She tsked, pulling Ella out from under her pillow- she hadn't wanted Fitz to see her- and throwing her up in the air then catching her.

"Maybe I am."

"Uh-huh. What makes you qualified for that position?"

"Qualified? Now I have to qualify for an imaginary position?"

"Imaginary!" Sophie repeated. "I'd hardly call it that. Here, I say that spot is basically like boss."

"Boss for and of what?"

Sophie thought. "Well... the room? This room?" she offered.

"And what does that mean?"

"Well... it means you get to make rules for this room."

"Rules for the room," Fitz repeated.

"Yep. And whoever steps in here has to follow them."

Fitz was starting to like this game. "Alright. I nominate myself."

"And _I_ nominate _me,"_ Sophie countered.

"How do we know who wins?"

Sophie smiled, having fun. She hadn't had fun in... um... question mark?

It was quite silly, two teens having to play a child-age-range game and conversation while not even being able to see each other, on different levels of the bunk bed. However, they didn't mind.

"We say some crazy experiences we've had. Whoever has the most crazy or awesome wins."

"Crazy or awesome," Fitz repeated to himself, his tone slightly quieter, not directly speaking to her. His voice got to it's normal tone when he addressed her. "Alright. Let's go."

Sophie was confident she was going to win. "Alright. Have you ever been thrown out in a snowbank, stock naked?"

"What?"

Sophie giggled. "I have. I got into the kitchen or something when I was 14. Apparently, Fintan had told me no. But I was so hungry. I hadn't been fed that day. They forgot." She said the last part softer. "Well, anyway, he found me and threw me out in the snow."

"Where did the naked part come in?"

Sophie laughed. "Oh, he asked me to give him everything I had on."

Fitz swallowed. "He didn't...? Did he?"

Sophie burst into a fit of snorty giggles. "No, he didn't look! Dang, get your head out of the gutter!"

Fitz was embarrassed. "Sorry."

Sophie got control over her laughing, clutching her chest. "Fine. It's ok. Well, your turn."

"Uh... Oh. Have you ever been impaled by a giant bug?"

"What?"

Fitz laughed, too, and Sophie joined. "Yep. I was.. oh... 15?"

Sophie scoffed, unbelievably. "Attack of the insects."

"Yep."

"Where were you?"

It took a moment for him to answer. "...Exile," he mumbled.

"Exile? Cool. Gethen's told me I've been down there a couple times."

"He did, did he..."

"Yeah. Ok, my turn. Have you ever walked in on someone naked, accidentally?"

"What's with you and all this naked stuff?!"

Sophie burst into her uncontrollable laughter again. "Calm down, you perv!"

"Me? You're the perv."

Sophie was still laughing. When she finally calmed, her head had gone to other places. She frowned, silent.

Fitz leaned over the edge of the bed and looked down at her. "You alright?"

She pulled Ella close, not caring anymore if her saw her. "You win," was all she said, very softly, all her joy gone.

HIs face fell. "Are you ok?"

She shrugged. "Yeah, I just... don't have that many experiences, I guess."

Fitz smirked. "Really? You have a photographic memory, I doubt that."

When Sophie looked at him oddly, he went to his default. "Gethen told me."

Sophie slowly nodded, then stared at her feet all the way at the bottom of the bed. "The rest of mine are sad. Or dark."

Fitz frowned, deep. He suddenly smiled, apologetically. "Want to talk about it?" Sophie was about to say no, when he patted the side of his mattress. His eyes twinkled. "You said you'd visit me."

Slowly, her frown twitched up into a smirk. "Ok. Don't get too excited."

When she had finally made her way up there, Fitz sat criss-cross-applesauce **(ah, kindergarten :))** at the head of the bed, near his pillow, while Sophie sat criss-cross at the opposite end.

Her stuffed elephant lay in her lap and she fiddled with Ella's ear. "Promise you won't tell anyone?" she whispered.

Fitz smirked. "Nobody here really likes me. I've got no one to tell. Except. oh wait! The wall. And _that_ wall. And that wall! Oh no."

Sophie smiled and giggled gently. Then both their faces grew serious.

She shifted, a little uncomfortable. Then she shivered at how cold it was and wrapped the Neverseen cloak more around her slender body. She gulped down the saliva in her throat. "Uh... Well... They do things if I do something they don't like. Misbehave."

"Like...?"

Sophie's eyes were already welling up. She shook her head, her voice coming out like a croak. "I can't say anything. If I tell anyone, they might get mad and-"

"Sophie."

She turned her frantic eyes to him. A rebellious tear slid down her cheek.

Her breath caught in her lungs when he reached forward and brushed it off gently with his thumb. He sank back down to his end of the bed. "Deep breaths."

She nodded and took a couple, wiping her eyes. "Uh... Well..." She looked at him, again. Inspecting him.

Something told her to not trust him. He was a stranger, and on their first night of meeting one another, she is opening up to him, so?

But another part told her to blossom like a flower. Let the dark seeds she'd been holding in, carrying and letting burden her flow free. Perhaps he could help her forget.

This was no stranger.

Somehow, somewhere, sometime, she had _known_ him.

"I'll tell you," she whispered.

* * *

 **She'll tell yoooooooooooooooooooooouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu...**

 **NEXT CHAPTER!**

 **Also, Smiles (Guest), how did I do on this long chapter? ;)**


	14. Burns

FITZ DIDN'T PUSH. SIMPLY NODDED AFTER A FEW MOMENTS OF SILENCE. "TAKE YOUR TIME."

She shuddered and pulled the cloak more securely around her, **(I imagine her looking like a cute bundled up burrito, almost :) Ok, this is serious, sorry)** her eyes wandering around the room as if looking to see if there was anyone waiting to pounce. She tucked a stray strand of her hair behind her ear. She spoke much more quiet. She seemed fragile. "Fintan is a Pyrokinetic."

Fitz nodded.

"So is Brant."

He nodded, again, not liking where this was headed.

"T-they..." she shook with the upcoming words, "burn me."

"Why? What good does that do them?"

Sophie laughed, non-humorously. "It keeps me under control and in line." She lifted her head a little higher, not looking directly at him. "I've heard them whispering about my abilities and stuff." She smiled. "They're afraid of me and what I can do."

This was not like Sophie. Old Sophie would have been distraught to be thought of as a weapon or a threat. But new Sophie under the influence of the Neverseen liked that idea.

Fitz ran a hand through his hair and twiddled with his fingers. "Anything else?"

Sophie shrugged. "Not really. I'm fortunate, though. I've seen them do their interrogations on the few people they occasionally capture." She shuddered, again.

Fitz frowned. "You've watched it?'

Sophie nodded and rubbed her wrists, nervously. "The weird thing is, I halfway remember being interrogated and tortured like that. But one thing makes no sense. I was, oh, 12 in the memory? All my memories are gone from 13 and down. Except _that_. And a few others."

Sophie didn't mention the others. Fitz noticed, but didn't press.

She remembered the interrogation back when the Neverseen took her and Dex!

Sophie shrugged, trying to make it look like she didn't care. "Past is past, though. As long as I'm good nothing bad happens. Anyway..."

Fitz pointed to her arms, which she was hiding with her cloak. "I'm guessing...?"

Sophie nodded. "They burned me on my arms a few weeks back. Nothing's happened, though, too recently."

Fitz was clenching and unclenching his fits. _Hard._ He was infuriated.

How could they do this!?

Sophie noticed. "Are you alright?"

He stopped, abruptly. "Fine," he said through clenched teeth.

Sophie sighed and started to climb down the ladder. "I should get to sleep." She gave him one last look before she disappeared under the bed. "We both should."

* * *

 **The memory Sophie retrieved when she heard Fitz's name will be next chapter :)**


	15. Laundry

SOPHIE DID NOT GO TO SLEEP STRAIGHT AWAY.

She _had_ to see that memory.

She waited until she heard Fitz's breathing change. Assuming he was asleep, she closed her eyes and let the flashback begin.

She sucked in a breath at how young she was in the memory. Twelve?

She was at... a school? Some random building.

It looked so odd.

There were tons of exhibits, it looked like, with statues of... were those supposed to be dinosaurs? They looked so weird! **(Surely you've guessed what memory this is, by now)**

She was in a clump of students. Then... she began to drift and wander away.

And... she was met by a teal-eyed boy with dark hair.

She smiled. She knew who that was!

So... she _had_ met him before.

But where? And why? And _he_ had walked up to _her._

Sophie forced her mind to end the memory recall. She opened her eyes and looked around, not sure what else to do.

She _knew_ him. She _knew Fitz._

How?

Sophie frowned.

And why had the memory resurfaced when she heard his name? Why had it resurfaced at all?

Uncle Gethen told her the explosion wiped out all her memories...

How had she _remembered_ one?

For some reason it felt wrong. Like he was looking in someone's private information or something.

But...

This was _hers_. Her. Memory.

* * *

SOPHIE AWOKE TO A FACE-FULL OF SLIGHTLY GLITTERY, RED-AND-YELLOW DRAGON.

She screamed at sat upright, then flung her wool blanket over herself, shielding her.

Sophie heard Fitz chuckle. "Haven't you ever seen a stuffed animal?"

Sophie slowly came out of the blanket to find Fitz holding a stuffed-animal dragon. It's skin was red and yellow and had a slight glitter-appeal to it.

Sophie lifted her hand and pointed to it. "What. Is. That?"

Fitz smiled, charmingly. "Mr. Snuggles."

"Mr. _Snuggles?_ I almost had a heart attack thinking Fintan or someone sent that thing to eat me." Fitz chuckled again and Sophie muttered, _"Mr. Snuggles..."_

Sophie almost considered telling him about the memory she had gained. She opened her mouth to speak when Fitz said, "You win."

"Hmm?"

"You win," he repeated.

Sophie strained extra hard and then the memory recalled of the 'game' they had played last night. Her cheeks burned. "Oh... yeah. Thanks."

"So, what are the rules?"

Sophie smirked, mischievously.

Fitz stepped back. "You're going to use this to torture me, aren't you?"

"Not _torture_. Just... mess with you."

"That doesn't sound any less terrifying."

Sophie giggled and pulled out Ella from under the blankets. "This is Ella."

Fitz grinned. "Yeah."

Sophie had an odd feeling since she knew she'd met him before, she'd most likely already introduced the fluffy baby-blue elephant. She went criss-cross again with her legs and took a deep breath. "I'll have to think of those rules. But right now I've got to do my chores."

She stretched and arose from the bed. Fitz frowned. "Chores?"

Sophie nodded. She started walking out the door when an idea formed in her head. She grinned wickedly and turned around slowly, hand on her hip.

Fitz dropped Mr. Snuggles. "Oh no."

"Rule number one..."

"Oh no."

"If you reside in this room..."

"Please no."

"You must help the maker-of-rules..."

"Somebody kill me."

"Do her chores," she finished.

Sophie went into the hallway, finding a basket of cloaks and random clothes that she was supposed to wash as one of her chores, and she grabbed a random sock.

Fitz was just walking out of the room to follow her, when Sophie threw the sock in his face.

She was satisfied when it clung to him and she picked up the basket, and with a swing in her hips, she walked off to wash the bin.

"C'mon, Fitzter! Help me out!"

* * *

 **Awww.**

 **Well, my work here is done. :)**

 **For this chapter, anyways.**

 ***sigh***


	16. That's It?

FITZ FLOPPED ONTO HIS TOP OF THE BUNK BED, EXHAUSTED.

Sophie and him had literally spent the whole day doing chores. They kept getting... _Sidetracked,_ you could say.

When they were in the middle of doing laundry, Sophie had decided it would be fun to throw another sock at Fitz. Then Fits three back. Then Sophie there back.

And the streak did not end until there were no more clothes left in the basket.

So then they had to clean it all up and finish their chore.

Next they went to do dishes and Sophie decided, this yime, it would be fun to flung water at Fitz. Fitz flung back. That did not stop until they were soaked.

And for the rest... Let's just say that everything ended with a mini fight.

"Well, wasn't that fun?"

Sophie grinned as she stood on her titles to look up at him. "Yeah. I beat you in every round."

"Did not!"

"Did too. " she winked, as she, too flipped on her bed.

Fitz sighed. "What do we do, now?"

Sophie laughed. "That's it."

Sophie heard Fitz shuffle and soon his head peeked over from above. "What?"

"You heard me. That's it. That's all I do everday. I mean, unless they give me a different task, otherwise. Which isn't often at all. "

Fitz fpped back. "Oh."

It was quiet for a bit. Then, Sophie shifted. "Fitz?"

"Yes?"

She took a deep breath. "I... I have a small confession to make."

Sophie imagined his dark eyebrows pressing together. " And that is?"

She twirled a piece of her shimmering blonde hair in her fingers. "Umm... I..."

How are you supposed to tell a stranger that you know them, somehow?

* * *

 **You talk, Sophie. That's how.**

 **Hope y'all liked this! Sorry for everything being so short :( My attractiveness comes in tiny packages, I guess.**

 **No, wait. Fun size!**

 **Yes... :)**


	17. Snap-back

"SOPHIE?" FITZ ASKED AFTER A MOMENT OF SILENCE.

When he shifted and looked down at her on her bed, she was fiddling with Ella's ears.

"Is everything ok?"

Spouse's eyes wavered over to his. "Uh... I..."

"You...?" he prodded, gently.

Sophie shifted, uncomfortable and looked back at him. She was laying on her side, now, facing towards him.

She had better hurry, because all the blood was rushing into his head, making him dizzy, being upside down like this just to make sure contact with her...

Sophie smiled and reached over, tapping his nose with a, "Boop." She chuckled. "Your face is turning red from being upside down like that. You want me to come up there?"

"Please."

Sophie giggled and hopped out of her bed. Fitz moved into an upright position and Sophie climbed up the ladder onto the bed. They both got in their positions from the other night.

Fitz at the head of the bed, Sophie at the opposite end, both in cross-cross position.

Sophie was still fidgeting with Ella. Fitz waited, but after a bit she still did not say anything or even look up at him.

He smiled. "You gonna talk? If not, I'll have to get out Mr. Snuggles to make you talk."

Sophie blushed. "Why would he make me talk?"

Fits reached over and playfully shoved her. "He scared you pretty good this morning when you woke up."

Sophie turned a shade darker, embarrassed. "Gee, thanks."

"What? I'm just speaking the truth. "

After that, both here serious. Sophie took a breath. "I know you," she whispered.

Fitz nodded. "I know."

" what do you mean, 'you know'? How could you know? "

"Because I knew you," he said softly.

Sophie swallowed. "Who was I?"

Fitz shrugged and ran a hand through his hair. "Same person you are now."

"I'm obviously not the same. When you first saw me and everything you seemed... Nervous or something. "

Fits sighed. "To be fair, I hadn't seen you in many years. Gosh, I hadn't even known you were alive."

Sophie frowned. "What do you mean?"

Fitz bit his lip, hard. After a couple seconds, he shook his head. "Not now."

"What?"

"Not now, Sophie. I'm not dumping everything in your right away. Especially not here. It's dangeous."

Sophie snorted. "Dangerous? It's my home!"

Fitz seemed a little angered. "This? No. _This_ is not home."

Sophie seemed taken aback by his snap-back at her. She scoffed. "Geez."

She stormed down the ladder and put of the room.

* * *

 **Well, then...**

 **Drama.**

 ** _Yippee_.**


	18. Close-Up

**To all my Sophitz shippers who are probably not reading mt other Foster-Keefe based story/series, Two Young Hearts, I want to inform you I am in the hospital and, thus, may not be able to update a lot. Or, for all I know, it could work vise-versa.**

 **Just tellin' ya.**

* * *

SOPHIE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.

She'd never really gotten in an arguement with someone, let alone a small arguement that exploded really fast.

She sure did not want to apologise, but she wanted to be friends with him again...

He'd just have to apologise to her. Yeah.

Sophie tried to avoid him for the rest few days, but every night they had to join back together in the same room. Sophie tried staying up as late as possible, then getting into the room at the last second so then he would be asleep when she walked in. Then, she'd sleep in later and wake up, and he would be out of the room!

One night, Sophie was walking through the halls aimlessly when the huge grandfather clock rang out. It dinged every hour, and when she looked at it, the time proved to be 3:00 A.M.

Sophie rubbed her sore, tired eyes, knowing there were circles under them. She tiptoed down the hall back to her and Fitz's room.

When she entered, the fire was starting to go out, so it was dim and the lighting in the room was not very good. Sophie closed the door slowly, cringing when it creaked.

She had almost made it back to bed when a deep, crisp accent spoke and she yelped in fear. "You wanna talk about anything?"

Sophie's eyes narrowed as in a swift and almost violent movement, she whipped back her covers and hopped gruffly in her bed. "I thought you were asleep," she growled.

"I know. I've noticed what you've been doing the past few days. So, I decided to stay up."

"Good for you," Sophie congratulated sarcastically.

Fitz did not get the hint and stop. "Why are you mad at me?

Sophie groaned. "Are you going to bed? I'm tired and I jeed you to shut up so I can get to sleep."

"What did I do?" Fitz asked.

Sophie groaned, again. "Nothing. I'm fine. Let's go to sleep."

Fitz sighed. "Sophie..."

She didn't answer and only turned over to face the wall.

She heard the ladder creak and the bed swayed, and she knew he was climbing down. Still, she flinched when a hand was laid on her back.

"I didn't mean to hurt you."

Sophie sighed and turned over to face him. "You said my home was dangerous. This is all I have and you tell me it's not good enough, not safe." Sophie shrugged when he didn't answer. " Whatever. I guess it was stupid, though. "

"I never said it was stupid."

Still, Sophie turned away from him and laid on her other side.

"I'm sorry."

"You're sorry?" she asked. "What does that mean?"

"Right, you people don't say sorry... " Fitz muttered. "Well, it means I won't do it again and I take full responsibility and punishment for my wrong action/ actions."

Fiz felt very idiotic having to explain what sorry meant, but he wanted Soohie and him to be back on good terms.

With a forced and dramatic sigh, Sophie sat up in her bed. "I guess I'm sorry, too."

Fitz half-smiled. "That was hard for you to say, wasn't it?"

"Extremely."

He laughed and his impossibly teal eyes glittered.

 _Gosh, they're gorgeous._

Sophie shook the thought away and diverted her eyes when she realized she was staring.

 _Oh, stop. Don't get all boy-crazy._

But the other half of her loved the fact that she was sick with puppy love. She felt light and happy all the time, and for once in her life she _looked forward_ to seeing a fellow member of the Neverseen. Her heart always did that fluttery, pitter-patter thing when she was around him, too. Color always erupted on her cheeks, as well.

Sophie's breath caught in her lungs when he lowered himself onto her bed and right next to her. He took her hand, tenderly.

"You know when I knew you, we were close?"

She gulped. "Close?" she croaked.

What had they been?

No... they were just... Why was she thinking about this?

He laughed lightly, very quiet. Almost a whisper. Maybe even a breath. "Yeah. You were... a really good friend."

"Really?" She asked, hating her voice for being strained.

Why was she acting so weird?

 _Pull yourself together!_

She was very aware now of how close they were sitting to one another. Their legs and hands slightly brushing one another...

 _Sophie, stop!_ she screamed mentally at herself. But she couldn't.

The way everything about this felt so wrong... so right...

It was intoxicating and thrilling.

Before she knew it, she was leaning closer. Slowly, slowly... She was aware he was doing the same, too.

They paused abruptly when their faces were only centimeters apart. Sophie laughed softly and backed up away from him. "We should get some sleep."

Fitz swallowed. It took a secomd for him to move. "Yeah... Y-yeah. We should."

* * *

 **MY BABIES R FALLING FOR EACH OTHER OMG**


	19. Shimmy

SOPHIE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HAD HAPPENED THE PREVIOUS NIGHT.

One moment she's mad at Fitz, the next she's saying sorry, then she's leaning in... and then she panics and backs away.

What was that all about? She didn't like him.

No. No way.

Well, she liked him, but as a friend!

However, she would be lying if she denied that she had really actually in her gut wanted that kiss. I mean, just a tiny peck couldn't have hurt... right?

Next thing she knew, she was fantasizing about kissing him. Sophie shook herself out of the silly trance and scrambled to get her head on a different topic than Fitz.

But all her attempts failed and she ended up where she had started.

Sophie and Fitz decided to spend the day in their room because they did not have chores to do that day, and it wasn't like the Neverseen were giving them any missions.

The awkward tension and silence swirling throughout the dead-still room was so thick, you could practically slice it with a knife.

Sophie tried to pretend it wasn't there and that it wasn't awkward, but failed. It was very awkward.

The fire crackled and sputtered, a few sparks flying out and to the ground.

Sophie sighed through her nose.

Fitz peered down from the top bunk. "How's it going?"

Her cheeks burned at the sight of him, and she felt a little like she was naked. Like he could see right into her or he had known she was previously thinking about him.

She simply averted her gaze to the stuffed elephant laying on her chest in front of her.

Fitz frowned and ran a hand through his hair. "Look, did I do something again?"

Sophie looked at him, puzzled. "No."

"Well, it seems like you're avoiding talking to me," Fitz accused.

"No, I just..." she cleared her throat, unable to finish.

She wasn't afraid of him or anything and she sure didn't like him, so... Why was that moment affecting her? So what? It was a screw-up. A mistake.

They had almost kissed. Oh well. Life moves on.

"Do you think we should... talk about anything?"

She sure as heck didn't want to talk about what he was implying.

"Nope," she replied, casually, ignoring the hint.

He groaned. "Sophie."

She looked up at him. "What?"

"We have to talk about what happened."

"What happened?"

"Don't act like that. I know you're smart."

Sophie scoffed. "Act like what?"

"Like you don't know what I'm talking about!"

The room fell into a small span of silence.

"If you're going to accuse me of anything..." Sophie warned.

"Accuse you? Why would I accuse you?"

She bit her lip, annoyed. "Nevermind."

Just don't say the word 'love' or 'like' and you can keep all your fingers and we'll still be friends.

...Friends. Nothing more, Sophie thought to herself.

The two fell into a quiet spell again, until Fitz patted the side of his mattress. "Want to come up here while we talk?"

Sophie rolled her eyes as he disappeared up onto his bed and she heard him shifting. "Why do I have to sit with you if we're going to talk about this?"

"Because I would like to maintain eye contact with the person I am directly speaking to."

"You realize we're not having a meeting, right? "

"Yes, I fully realize. However, eye contact is normal. You do that with any person in a conversation. It's showing them you're there and listening. Now, would you please stop stalling and shimmy up the ladder?"

Sophie had to fight to hold back a smile at his little hint of humour. "I do not shimmy, for your information."

"You do, too."


	20. I've Changed

**People change people**

 **Hearts can change, too**

 **I've noticed mine flutters a lot**

 **When I'm around you**

 **Some people just like to mess around**

 **They don't want to play the game of love, but rather a sharade**

 **But I promise you, dear one,**

 **From my mind, you will never fade**

 **This poem may be indefinitely cheesy**

 **It also probably sucks a lot**

 **But I tell you, dear reader,**

 **Love cannot be bought!**

 **-Project_Moonlark**

 **We had to write a poem in class...**

 **The words just flow from my head, to my hand, through my pencil, onto my paper, and it has now managed to land on this...**

 **Ok.**

* * *

SOPHIE MANAGED TO TRUDGE UP THE LADDER AND ONTO FITZ'S BED, DESPITE WANTING SO BADLY TO JUST STAY DOWN ON HER OWN.

The moment she got up there, she scooted as far away from Fitz as possible and wouldn't look at him. She just messed with a piece of his bedding.

"Well, what do you want to talk about? Food? I like food. Especially dessert, though, I don't get a lot. And even though I don't get very much, I-"

"Sophie."

Oh, stop looking at me with those eyes. I could just get lost in them and no one would be able to find me. Do you want that? Is that your plan? Do you want me all for you?

But despite telling herself she should not give him the attention he wanted or start this conversation with him, she looked up.

Gosh, they're beautiful. He's beautiful. Well... handsome.

"Your eyes are pretty," Sophie blurted dreamily.

She blushed fiercely and Fitz cheeks tainted pink. "Your eyes are pretty."

"Thanks," she mumbled, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

Since when did she do that?

"Alright, for starters... what... happened down there?"

Sophie's whole face was on fire and she refused to look at him. "I was apologizing."

"And then...?"

Sophie's face scrunched up in confusion. "What? Why are you asking me? Why not ask yourself!"

"Because I'm confused."

"Yeah, well I'm confused, too. And I don't want to answer."

"It's going to be awkward if we ignore this."

"It's going to be awkward if we don't ignore this." She replied.

Fitz sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Sophie looked up from her lap to steal a glance at him.

Gosh, was she this in love that she had to look at him, like, every ten seconds?

No. No, she was not in love. She just.. Well, what was wrong with thinking a boy was... decent, perhaps?

"Sophie... I almost kissed you."

Sophie wanted to curl up in a corner in a ball and hide from all life forever. It was even more embarrassing and terrifying when he said it aloud.

"And I almost kissed you," she mumbled, flashing her gaze around the room and occasionally at him, not really wanting to make eye contact. She preferred the bed sheet over eye contact.

At least it didn't make her insides squirm.

She swallowed after a second. "Is that... bad?"

Fitz turned red and mussed his hair again, nervously. "Not... necessarily."

Sophie was sure if she were a cartoon character, she would've been beet red. "Oh," was all she could think to say as she bit her lip.

"Yeah."

It was silent again, and Sophie slowly lifted her eyes to him.

She studied him in the dim light.

Shadows cast across his face, showing Sophie every angle of his face. His teal eyes sparkled, so, and seemed to reflect awe, itself.

Then she began studying closer.

His dark brown hair and square jaw. The shape of his nose. The odd pendant clasped around his neck. The curve of lines on his face that stretched when he smiled. His two rough hands, thumbs covered with mysterious matching rings.

When she looked at his face, again, he was looking at her. Once they made eye contact, they could not stop.

Sophie was startled when Fitz started crawling towards her. When he reached her, their faces were in the same position as before; centimeters apart.

Sophie felt his warm raged breath on her cheeks and lips and sucked in a tiny, uneven breath. Her heart was pounding in her chest so loud she was sure Fitz could hear it. She was sure he could hear even if it weren't pounding so loud, with how close he was.

Fitz lifted a hand and cupped one side of Sophie's face and she could feel light callouses on various places of his hand, along with the cold touch of one of the rings he wore on his thumb.

After a little while of them both sitting there, not sure what to do, but just enjoying being close to one another, Fitz drew in a ragged breath and sat back, much to Sophie's dissapointment. "You've changed."

"Is that bad?"

She was afraid he didn't like he for who she was, anymore. Did he like the old Sophie better and not her?

Her whole world seemed to be tilting off it's axis. It was like she was on an island shore, stuck in the surf that was brushing and slamming up against it, trying to drag her out to sea.

Was she not good enough?

He shook his head. "Not at all. I've changed, as well."

* * *

 **Those love birds be meltin' ma heart ;)**

 **BUT OMG TWO ALMOST KISSES MWAHAHAHAAAAAAAAA.**

 **Ok, guys, I need to tell you that right now, I'm only truly feeling the urge to keep writing this story and** ** _The End Of My Battle_** **, thus, I will not have much time to write** ** _Run And Hide_** **or my other various KOTLC stories.**

 **Sorry!**


	21. Punching Bag

**I FINALLY UPDATED!**

* * *

SOPHIE WAS HAPPY WITH THE EVENTS THAT HAD OCCURED BETWEEN HER AND FITZ.

It was thrilling to know someone reciprocated her feelings. Especially him.

Sophie normally worked out on her own in a small room which was cllaed the weapons room. It had sleek, metal walls filled with any kind of weapon you could think of. Swords, daggers, bows and arrows, maces, a couple spears, whips, featherstaffs, pikes, bayonets, spikes, and hooks.

But in the center there was a leather mat with a punching bag hanging from the ceiling.

Sophie slicked her hair back into a ponytail and wiped the beads od sweat off her forehead, feeling satisfied that she was in a cold location, so the room wasn't steaming hot.

Sophie repositioned her black sports bra and her back pants, then clapped together her hands covered with black, fingerless leather gloves.

She hated how her sports bra was so tight. It's not like she just got new clothes whenever she needed them. They couldn't exactly go out roaming a town to buy girls clothes.

She whapped her fist into the punching bag again, letting out her pent-up anger. She rubbed the sore spot under her ribs where a knot of tangled emotions lay, which were all negative.

 _Why'd my parents have to go?_

 _ **WHAP!**_

 _Why'd they leave me?_

 _ **WHAP!**_

 _Why were they murdered?_

 _ **WHAP!**_

 _What had they done wrong?_

 _ **WHAP!**_

 _Why am I treated the way I am?_

 _ **WHAP!**_

 _I'm not wortheless._

 _ **WHAP!**_

 _I'm not vile._

 _ **WHAP!**_

 _I'm a valuable part of this team._

 _ **WHAP!**_

 _Right?_

Sophie gritted her teeth as she smacked the bag one last time, sending it flying up in the air and then swinging violently baxk down. She dodged it and blew out a breath, feeling really hot and sticky.

 _Disgusting._

Sophie heard a board creak behind her and someone sucked in their breath. Her brows crept together as she cautiously turned around.

She rose a brow in surprise as she was met with a pair of teal eyes. "Fitz . . ?"

"Uh . . . H-hey," he greeted rather awkwardly, eubbing the back of his neck and looking anywhere but her. Once in awhile he'd steal a quick glance at her, but the he'd dodge his eyes away as if he were forbidden to look at her.

"What are you doing?"

"Fintan asked to grab a . . . uh . . . a, uh . . ."

Sophie noticed he seemed rather distracted, and when she looked at his eyes, they were slowly moving up her body.

 _Was he . . ?_

She swallowed and his eyes finally got up to her face, where when he met her eyes, he turned a shade darker.

She rubbed her arm awkwardly, blushing madly. "Dagger? Sword? Sheild?"

"Daggers," he said, clearing his throat and rubbing the back of his neck again.

Sophie grabbed a few daggers off the wall and handed them to Fitz, trying to stay as far away as possible. "What are you, um, doing with them?"

"Cleaning them."

"Oh."

Fitz gave a small, fake laugh. "Yeah. _Yippee!"_

Sophie giggled lightly, folding her hands together in front of her.

Fitz nodded slowly and licked his lips nervously. "Well . . . I'm gonna go," he announced, ogling her one last time while pointing towards the door. Then he turned away and started walking off.

Sophie bit her lip hard, not wanting him to go. "W-wait!"

He paused and turned back. "Hmm?"

"You . . . I . . . I-I bet I could beat you."

He laughed. "Um, what?"

"Wrestling! Wanna go?" she replied giddily, like a child asking their parents to play.

"Sophie, I don't think-"

"C'mon!" she urged.

"I haven't exactly ever-"

"Aw, pleeeeaaaaase?" she pled, skipping up to him and taking the daggers out of his hands. With a sassy swing in her hips, she went and set the daggers on a nearby table, a daring look in her eyes as she pursed her lips, giving a teasing smirk.

"Sophie . . ."

But she noticed he couldn't stop looking at her.

"Fitz," she mimicked, hopping up on the table and swinging her legs. She held up a finger and made a motion for him to come towards her. "C'mon, now. You scared of a little ol' girl? "

She batted her eyelashes and puckered her lips, still swinging her legs.

"No, I really think-"

Sophie shrughed it off, refusing to look at him. "Alright, then. Go back to your chores. I'll find you later, I promise you that."

She gave a gleaming smirk again and winked at him.

He cleared his throat, unclipping and throwing aside his Neverseen cape.

Sophie bit her lower lip. "You've been warned, I won't go easy on you because you're a guy."

"And I won't go easy on you because you're a girl."

Sophie got up off the table and stalked rowards him, her hips still swinging as she walked with some sort of grace meant for a runway, one foot in front of the other.

Sophie half-smiled deviously as she grabbed the collar of his shirt and tugged him a little closer.

"Sophie . . ." Fitz said warily, taking notice of how close her lips were.

"Yeah?" she whispered, trying to seem as innocent as possible.

"We should really . . . I just . . . you . . ."

She looked up in his eyes, her own twinkling with an aura of mischief. "You're cute when you stutter," she complimented, still whispering.

"Um . . ."

Sophie tugged him by his collar once again ever so slightly, not so much that she moved him, but she invited him closer.

He started to come willingly, leaning in carefully and Sophie started to do so herself.

His eyes eventually closed when their ljjps were only centimeters apart, but Sophie smirked and kept hers open. At the last second, she jumped odd to the side and tugged Fitz forward by his shirt, causing him to fall forward onto the ground with a _THUD!_

Sophie covered her motuh as he groaned, halfway concerned and the other half trying to hold back a giggle. She went up to him and sat down on his back. "Hey," she whispered flirtatiously.

Fitz rolled his eyes from on the floor. "Hi."

She giggled. "I can't believe you fell for that. _Literally."_

"Haha. The puns," Fitz said with sarcastic joy.

Sophie ruffled his dark hair and chuckled. "I think I win." She gasped when he grabbed her wrist with one hand and pylled her backwards, making her slide off his back on fall on her own to the floor.

 _"Oof!"_

Fitz sprang up and came crawling over her, holding her down on the floor with her wrists on each side of her head. "Gotcha. _I_ think I win."

Sophie chewed on her lower lip, blushing at the position they were in and how close they were. Their chests were almost touching as they breathed heavily.

Fitz was the next to smirk. "You're turning pink," he noted.

"Leave me alone," Sophie snapped, blushing darker.

Fitz leaned downward closer, their noses almost touching. He closed that tiny gap and gave her what seemed like a mini eskimo kiss.

Sophie giggled at that. "Hey, that tickles."

"Ooh, so she's ticklish?"

All the blood drained from Sophie's face as she began to struggle against his holds on her wrists. "Let me out!" she squealed.

"Not a chance, sugarplum."

 _"Sugarplum?"_

"Princess? Babycakes? Shortie? Pancake?"

"What the hell?"

Fitz burst out chuckling and looked square into her eyes. "Ok, ok. I won't tickle you . . . Tonight."

"Tonight?" Sophie gaped. "How about never!"

Fitz grinned, releasing her wriats and getting up off her. "Not a chance, darling."


	22. Far From Finished

_**Smut or fluff?**_

 **Don't be embarrassed. Just answer.**

* * *

SOPHIE DIDN'T LEAVE THE WEAPONS ROOM. SHE HAD NO REASON TO.

So, she remained there clad in cold sweat as she beat the hell out of the punching bag, mercilessly throwing a never-ending series of punches at it.

She didn't see anyone else for the remainder of the day as she did random workouts to occupy herself. Somewhere along the lines, Sophie had gotten slightly cold and had stuck back on her white tank top. Now she was sticky and hot again, so it clung to her skin and her black sports bra shone through like a beacon.

Sophie grabbed a towel and wiped the sweat from her forehead, then took her water bottle and chugged down about half of it before gasping for air. She choked as she didn't swallow correctly.

"C-clutz," she choked out at herself between gagging and coughing harshly.

 _I can't even drink water properly . . ._

When she caught her breath, she massaged her back by rubbing it with a hand. It was awkward, having to stretch her arm so, but in the end it felt good on her sore muscles.

"Ouch . . ." she winced, gritting her teeth at how the muscles suddenly tensed. "I worked myself too hard," she decided aloud. "I've got to stop doing that."

"Doing what?"

Sophie smirked for she knew who the voice was before she even looked up towards the door. "Beating your sorry butt," she replied with a wink.

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" Fitz asked.

"I dominated you in wrestling."

"Says the girl who was pinned to the floor last, begging for me to not tickle her. "

Sophie straightened and her skin prickled at the reminder. He noticed and smirked, his teal eyes glinting with mischeif. "Now you know to not mess with me, hmm? Otherwise you're on a one way road to merciless tickling."

Sophie stood up, ignoring the cramp in her back, placing her hands on her hips. She was accepting the challenge he had brought forth.

 _So you wanna play it this way, huh? I'll show you who wears the pants in this relationship_ , Fitzster . . .

"But what if I _want_ to mess with you?"

"Then you're in for it, ma'am."

"Ma'am?" she snorted. "Gettin' all formal, are we, _sir?"_

"I suppose we are."

Sophie peered at the clock behind her and then smirked back at him. She shrugged and cracked her knuckles. "We have time," she said, mostly to herself.

"For . . ?"

She cracked her neck and then bent over, resting her hands on her knees and looking either like a football player or a ready-to-stampede bull. "Wrestling, round two."

Fitz laughed. "You're like a puppy. You've got way too muc, energy. Well, alright, shortstack," he agreed, getting down in the same stance as her.

She scrunched up her nose. _"Shortstack?"_

"Yup. Face it, blondie. You're short."

"You do realize I'm going to murder you now, right?"

"With those tiny legs for you to charge at me with? Ha! Bring it on, imp!" he teased, aging her on.

 _You've just set off my timer. I'm a bomb, Fitz. You just had to spark the ignition. Fight fire with fire. This game will not be played in a fair manner_. . .

Sophie straightened up to her full height from her stance and slipped off her tank top, leaving her chest clad in only her sports bra again. She crossed her arms under her chest when she saw Fitz's gaze darken and rest there. She rose a cocky brow. "You seem a bit distracted."

"Should have known you wouldn't be one to fight fair."

"Aww. Does it bother you?"

Sophie's confident amile fell when he straightened and slipped his shirt off over his head. Sophie's gaze lowered to his toned abbs and she knew she was staring, especially with the way his smug grin grew, but she eventually snapped out of her daze. "I officially hate you, Vacker."

"You love me and you know it," he singsonged.

Truth be told, she _did_ love him. Dammit.

Sophie crept back into her stance and tightened her ponytail. "I want you to freaking be crying out in pain when I'm finished with you," she snarled.

"And I would personally love to shove you up against the wall and kiss you," Fitz said suddenly.

"And I want – wait, what?" Sophie was cut off guard by the words and she stood up fully, looking at him with a confused and flushed look. But that was where she went wrong.

Fitz used the opportunity of her being slightly distracted to charge up at her. He grabbed her by the waist and put her over his shoulder like a potatoe sack. She let out a small, _"Oof!"_ , when her stomach met with his shoulder.

Sophie huffed in protest, clearly annoyed, as she started to pound his back repeatedly with her fists. "Put me down, Vacker!" she shouted in protest.

He shrugged. "Ok." Fitz swung her off his shoulder and flopped her on the ground with a dramatic _THUMP!_ as her skin slapped the workout mat. "Ouch!" she yelped, wincing and rubbing her arm.

Fitz got down and crawled over her like last time, and he ended up sprawled on top of her, the both of them panting as their chest touched and their faces were only centimeters apart.

"We meet in this position again," Sophie announced with a sarcastic cheerfullness effect added to her voice.

Fitz snickered. "I told you I could beat you easily."

"Shut up before I smack your pretty face," she warned.

"So, I'm pretty?"

"No, you're hot." When Fitz raised an eyebrow, she snorted. "I meant tempature wise, idiot."

Fitz rolled her eyes as she laughed. "You think you're attractive, don't you? Adorable," she cooed.

"I _know_ I'm attractive. And so do you."

"Well, we're elves, idiot. W-what did you expect?" she stuttered after a moment of silence. She was becoming fully aware now how they were pressed right up against one another.

 _Damn, she just wanted to grab his face and freaking make out with him, no mercy . . ._

"You stutter a lot," Fitz noted, his breath warm on her cheeks.

She stole a quick glance at his close lips. "Y-yeah . . ."

Fitz slowly smiled, and Sophie was aware of how their conversation was sneakily turning into a serious one. "There it is again," he whispered.

Sophie wucked in a breath when he smacked a kiss onto the tip of her nose. His eyes glimmered when he pulled back. "You ok? You look flushed." He winked. "Are you ill or something?" he teased, despite he knew it was her blushing.

"Get off me . . ." she whispered, not fully wanting him to go.

"How about no . . ?" he replied sinfully slowly, peeking at her own lips leisurely, as if he didn't care if he got caught. Sophie was about to just lean forward and kiss him when she felt his hands trail to her sides.

She sucked in her breath. "CRA-"

But she was cut off by herself bursting into laughter as he poked at her sides, tickling her. She giggled uncontrollably and squirmed under him, trying to get away, but to no avail. "F-F-F-F-FITZ!" she squealed. "L-L-LET ME OUT! S-STOP TICKL-L-LING!"

But he ignored her and continued to jab at her sides and Sophie was doubling over with laughter, her own abs becoming tired from laughing so muchn. "P-P-PLEASE STOP! I'LL DO ANYTHING! ANYTHING!"

"Anything?" Fitz called over her loud laughter.

"YES!" she confirmed and to her relief, he took his hands off the sides of her. She caught her breath as he grbbaed her waist and rubbed slow circles on both sides of her hips, helping her steady her breathing.

"Anything at all, shortie," Fitz said. "You just gave me the option of anything at all. See a problem with that?"

"Hundreds," Sophie choked out, still trying to catch her breath. "I see hundreds of problems."

Fitz nodded, starting slightly massage her hips with his thumbs. "Exactly. Now, let's see . . ."

Sophie groaned, throwing her head back on the mat, fully realizing he could have absolutely any brand of toture he wanted bestowed upon her.

 _Crap_.

"Ooh! I want off from chores."

"Ugh!" she complained. "I have to do stupid laundry and stuff by myself?"

Fitz winked. "You'll survive."

"No, I won't!" she whined.

"Alright, then how about . . . Aha!"

"What? What, 'aha?'"

" I can make a deal with you, " Fitz purred.

Sophie shuddered at his teasing tone, becoming rather too excited for what he was about to propose. "W-what?"

"You can get out of doing the chores all by yourself . . ."

" . . . If? " Sophie asked, prodding him to continue.

". . .If you'll kiss me."

It suddenly became very hot and silent in the room, and Sophie could hear her heart thudding loudly in her ears. "I-I. . ."

Fitz leaned down and put his mouth up against her ear. "Just say something, anything, and I'll kiss you and you can get out of those chores . . ." he said gingerly.

"Fitz, if this is a fri**in joke—"

"It's not a joke," he promised, looking into her eyes. "Why would I joke about this?"

Sophie stopped breathing when he leaned in closer. He stopped right before her lips and looked at her. "Ok?" he asked.

She nodded slowly, slightly unaure of this.

She held her breath when his lips grazed hers. It was like they were barely touching, but it was there. Sophie propped herself up on her elbows, deepening the kiss and smashing their lips fully together. Fitz growled into her mouth at that sudden action, which made her smile as their lips moved in sync with one another, making some smacking sounds throughout the quiet room.

Fitz arms rested on her waist line and ahe frowned when he pushed himself up off and away from her. She rose a questioing eyebrow as he smirked and picked up her tank top and his shirt. "I'll be taking this. You don't need a shirt to walk down the halls."

" Wait, wha—"

"Oh, and, you're not getting out of chores. I said say something and make your move. You did neither. I said the word _and_ made the first move."

Sophie scoffed as he walked out of the room without another word, taking her tank top along with him. She chuckled darkly. "You don't know who you're playing with, Fitz Vacker. Just you wait. We're _far_ from finished. . ."

* * *

 **Oh dear. Fitz, what have you gotten yourself into?**

 _ **Smut or fluff?**_


	23. HRLPHELPHELPHELPHELP

HELPHELP HELP PLZ I'M BAWLING I'M SOBBING IN BED NO JOKE HELP ME

Someone on Wattpad took my story, Two Young Hearts. They literally just copy-n-pasted the description, my A/N's, my chapters, everything

I'm crying I don't know what to do... Her or his name is Keefe_Is_Bae , what do I do, what to do? I don't want to be rude. I don't know what to do... I'm sobbing. This actually broke my heart. Why am I so sad?

What do I do?


	24. LOL

**HAHAHA lol i'm laughing my butt off. She took the story down cuz, like, five people reported her. Then she sent me a PM. Here is the exact thing with no changes, not even for grammar**

* * *

Keefe_Is_Bae: _I'm am so sorry for the misunderstanding! all credit goes to you! please don't be mad, I didn't realize it wa yours. I was imformed by several people about this issue and deleted it right away without any problems! hopefully everything is okay!_

* * *

 **Hahaha, actually everything really wasn't ok, I went and spammed my stories with chapters titled, "HELPHELPHELPHELPHELPHELP". Also, you didn't know it was my story? How? And are you saying you'd do that to other people? Lol, I'm laughing so hard. My response...(note that I was trying not to be rude)**

* * *

Me: _No problem, sweetheart :) Thank you for correcting the issue, though!_

* * *

Keefe_Is_Bae: _I was noted that you were sad so I didn't want to to give up on anything_

* * *

Keefe_Is_Bae: _however, I was wondering if maybe we could work together on a story together and give each other credit... it's just so it heals our friendship as fellow wattpadians_

* * *

 **So now I'm healing my relationship... Ya...** **Let's see what happens as I embark on _this_ new journey...**


	25. Much Too Close

"THEY'VE BEEN GETTING MUCH TOO CLOSE," FINTAN DECIDED TO THE OTHERS.

Gethen tapped his pathfinder on the table in thought. "And?"

"And what if they decide to team against us?" Umber suggested.

Brant barked out a laugh. "The two teenagers against us? We've won against all of them in the past, adding on the Black Swan occasionally. And somehow you think two teenagers are going to take us down? You're a hoot."

"No," said Gethen ,"he's atually right. We could be taken down."

 _"How?"_

"If they form a stronger bond and Fitz starts to tell her things about her past, since he's clearly figured out her memories were erased..."

"He could tell her more about her past to try and make her remember?" "Exactly. And then they could try and escape or something."

"That's not good," Fintan mumbled.

"No. It's not."

"What should we do? Separate the two?" Umber suggested.

"That wouldn't work, _numbnuts_. They'd see each other in other places throughout the day. They don't have to be in their room."

"We could plant a lie," said Gethen. "Tell Sophie something about him that woukd set her off, make her doubt him, break their trust . . ."

Trix snorted. "And what lie could we possibly tell her to achieve that level of destruction on their behalf?'

Gethen folded his hands on the table. "Something the girl is . . . scared of, perhaps." Fintan suddenly burst into laughter. "Tell her he's a pyrokinteic that's gonna hurt her! She sure doesn't like me and Brant."

Brant chuckled.

Ruy rolled his eyes. "That would never-" Gethen held up his hands, suddenly silencing everyone. They noticed Alvar had moved to behind Gethen and was whispering something in his ear. A slow and crooked smile formed on Gethen's lips as Alvar finished and then was sent back tonhis seat, causing everyone else who had not been in on the conversation to stare in wonder and curiosity as of what had happened. Gethen laughed darkly. "That's perfect. We've got ourselves a plan, boys . . ."


	26. Fantasy

SOPHIE AWOKE IN HER BED ON THE BOTTOM OF THE BUNK, her wool blanket wrapped tightly around her body, her bright blue elephant in her arms. She blinked and wiped the crustiness from her eyes, frowning as she stretched and her corneas took in the light.

"Morning."

Sophie peered up to see Fitz above her, leaning over the side of the top bunk.

"M-Morning . . ?" Sophie mumbled, unsure of what had happened. Wait, how had she gotten in bed again?

And then the nights events came crashing back to her and she shot up in bed, gasping. Realization hit her like a thunderbolt.

SHE'D KISSED FITZ VACKER WHILE IN A WEAPONS ROOM WHAT THE HECK?!

She cringed at the thought, a feeling of awkwardness settling over her. How would she explain that to him? How would he explain it to her?

What would he say? What did he think? Was it bad? Was she really bad at kissing?

Sophie blushed at the weird thoughts, blowing out a steady breath and trying to gain composure when he asked, ". . . Everything okay down there?"

"Umm, yeah."

"Really? 'Cause it sounds like you're lying to me."

She sighed. "I donno. I guess. . ."

"You guess?" he prodded.

"Nothing."

"Obviously it's something, Sophie. Do tell."

She rolled her eyes, the faintest hint of a smile twitching at the corners of her mouth. "I mean, I was just. . . Uh. . . How do I say this?" She paused, thinking the best way to have the advantage in the conversation they desperately needed to have. She wanted him to confess everything, if anything, before she had to. That would make it way easier for her to share openly with him. She cleared her throat. "Well. . ." She grimaced as she blurted, "Howwaslastnight?"

". . . What?"

She gave another sigh. "How. Was. Last. Night."

Her heart pounded in her chest as silence fell upon them. Finally he spoke up. "What do you mean? You mean was I okay with carrying you back from the weapons room?"

Sophie frowned. "Huh?"

"Yeah. You fell asleep in the weapons room. I found you and, uh. . . carried you back. Hope you don't mind."

She rose a brow in thought. _This_ was what he was telling her? What about. . .

She resisted the urge to smack her forehead and she flopped backwards in bed.

 _Stupid, stupid, stupid!_

"Hey. . . Everything okay down there? I heard a thud. From the sounds of it, I'm thinking you fell back onto your pillow."

 _IT WAS A DREAM!_ **((A/N:) HAHAHAHAHAHA YOU REALLY THINK I'D LET YOU HAVE THAT SATISFACTION SO EARLY? OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH NO YOU DON'T)**

"Great," she muttered into Ella as she buried her face into the blue fuzz. "Just _great."_

"Uhh, _okaaaaaaaaaay."_

She whimpered slightly, feeling stupid. She was having freaking dreams about kissing boys. What the heck?! "What's on the agenda today?" she said, disappointment feeling her voice as she sat up in bed and messed with Ella.

"The usual chores," he answered, ignoring her melancholy tone and climbing down the rungs of the ladder. He offered her his smile and a hand, and she took it willing, not ready to fight, and arose from the mattress. "Great," she replied unhappily, still bitter from the sudden revelation.

"Hey, turn that frown upside down," he teased. "Only I have to do chores for awhile."

Sophie had been beginning to follow him out the door as she got moving, but when he said those words, she froze, and he stopped too, turning around to face her. "Only you?" she asked, confused. "Umm. . . Why?"

Fitz shrugged, running a hand through his hair. "Gethen asked me to tell you once you woke up he wants to see you. Apparently has some mission for you? Information? i don't know. Somethin' like that."

Sophie swallowed, wrapping her arms around herself, a feeling of dread settling in the pit of her stomach.

She usually got this type of update from Alvar, and when she would get to Gethen's little office-type-space, Fintan and Brant would be there waiting for her, most likely because she'd screwed up again, and. . .

She shuddered at the thought, tears welling in her eyes and the ghostly pain burning bright.

"Hey, is everything okay?" he asked quietly, taking a step towards her and placing his hands on the sides of her arms, looking at her with a concerned stare.

She nodded numbly, wiping away the tears. "I'll be okay. I always am. It's never. . . that bad. I'm still alive afterwards, r-right?" she whispered, a fake breathless laugh added to the end, tears welling up with sparkling tears all over again.

His teal eyes flew wide open. "Wait- what? What did you say?"

She took in a shaky breath, realizing what she had just said, and stepped back, his arms falling off her. _"Shoot._ N-No. I didn't mean that, I-I was just-"

"What are they going to do?" he asked flatly, his eyes narrowing. But not because he was mad at her. He was clearly mad at _them._

Her hands started to shake and her lip trembled. "I-I don't know," she lied, her voice quivering.

He took a step up to her, making her gasp as he grabbed her shoulders, making her look him in the eye. "Has this happened before? Do you know what they are going to do to you once you get in there?"

"No, I-"

"Answer me truthfully," he said, voice softening, his eyes softening.

"I. . ." She swallowed, her gaze unwavering from her favorite color. "i think," she said so softly, it was almost a breath.

"Tell me."

"No. I-I can't. It'll be safer for you if I don't."

"I won't go doing anything crazy, Sophie. You have my word. But if they're going to bring physical harm to you, I need to know so I can hopefully find some way to prevent it."

She shook her head, ripping her shoulders from his hold, taking a couple steps back, her lips frowning and her forehead creasing. "You can't do that. If you interfere with them, they'll kill you. I. . . I can't let them kill you. Not like I've seen."

"They won't-"

"No! You don't understand! They will! I've seen it firsthand!"

"How have you-"

But she ducked past him and bolted out of the room before he could ask anymore.

* * *

 **(A/N:) OH YES LOOK AT THAT VIRTUAL PUKE MMMMMMMMMMMMM**


	27. Decietful Lies

SOPHIE SPRINTED TO THE MAIN OFFICE, struggling to get a hold of herself and wipe away the tears blurring her vision. If she was to be punished, she would get punished. There was no way out of it.

Fitz couldn't stop that, so why reel him into the trouble of trying when he won't succeed? They would kill him if he interfered. And she couldn't let him be killed.

He was. . . He was. . .

He was her friend. One of the best friends she'd ever had, actually. Aaaaaaand kind of the _only_ friend she'd ever had.

Sophie came to an abrupt stop wen she reached the door to the office. She made sure there were no tears left in her eyes and that her nose wasn't running and that she straightened her cape before carefully turning the doorknob and padding softly into the room.

It was rather small, about as big as her room with Firz, a small desk and chair in the middle of the room. It was like a gloomy, drab, empty cubicle. There was a rug on the floor with frayed edges and covered in muddy boot footprints, not to mention gashes from places where daggers or throwing stars had accidentally fallen out of people's pockets, every so often, would impale the poor rug. There was a small forward-looking cacti in a mini flower pot in the corner.

Sophie had given the plant to her uncle for one of his ID days a couple years ago. He seemed to not like the gift, so Sophie was confused as to why he kept it.

Gethen was squatted down next to it, running one of his fingers against the prickly thorns hurting from it. His finger has many slashes in it like paper cuts and was red.

Gethen had. . . _Weird_ habits, when it came to him brainstorming or being alone with just his thoughts.

"U-Uncle?" she stammered, knees wobbly as she wrung her hands so tightly together that at first her skin would turn white, green it would become red and burn. The spark circles under her eyes were heavy and she swallowed the bike in her throat as Gethen grinned creepily in direction of the plant, not bothering to look back as if he had known she was there the whole time.

"Hello, neice. How may I help you?"

He just sounded like a male Siri, now.

She flashed her eyes nervously around the room, expecting to suddenly see Fintan and Brant spring from the shadows then grab onto her and hold her down. "Uh. . . Y-You called me here."

Gethen pricked his finger purposefully and Sophie grimaced and her insides squiggled as he ran his finger across it, cutting through the skin as blood immediately filled up the tiny cut. He sucked on the finger briefly and arose, turning around to look at her. "Ah, yes. I did. Didn't I?"

She wasn't _really_ sure how to answer that. "Uh. . . Yeah."

He smiled, folding his hands behind his back. "I just have matters to discuss with you. But you seem. . . A bit tense."

"Tense? No. I'm fine. It was just so sudden that I was told to come here that, well. . . I ran. I'm just. . . Just, uh. . . Out of breath, is all," she managed to squeak, rubbing the back of her neck.

"I see. Well, I have some very important things to tell you, Sophie. I just need to know if you are ready to listen," he said, getting down before her on his knees like she was a child, and he still managed to gain so impressive height.

There was a hint of seriousness in his voice, but his voice was too thick and it just sounded so. . . So fake. But she didn't know why it would be _fake_. She didn't know why he sounded this way. Maybe it was just something really hard for him to say. Maybe he was nervous.

"Are you ready to listen?"

She swallowed and gave one nod, unsure if she really wanted to hear whatever he was about to tell her.

He arose, nodding to himself, folding his hands behind his back again and he started to pace the small length of the room. Sophie stepped out of the way to allow him to do so, and as he walked back and fprth, she couldn't seem to take her eyes off his bleeding finger.

"I need you to answer some things truthfully for me, alright?"

Ut sounded more like an order than a question, so she agreed.

"Very good," he praised to her like she was a dog. " So. . . " He stopped his pacing for a brief moment to look her in the eyes. "What does Fitz exactly. . . _Mean_ to you, hmmm?"

"Mean? " she croaked. He wasn't going to _kill_ him. . .

Was he? Gethen wouldn't kill Fitz – he was Alvar's brother!

"He's my friend, Uncle."

"Uh-huh," he answered, closing his eyes as he paced, like he was jotting down mental math notes. "What are some things you have in common, dear? Is he nice?"

" Uh. . . H-he's nice. And. . . I guess. . . " She had begun to temporarily wander off into la la land for a split second there, staring at his bleeding finger, which he kept applying pressure to here and there to make more blood gush out. "Were both Telepaths?" she answered, her forehead dressing in confusion as to why he was asking her this.

"Very good, very good. Now, tell me. . . What has the boy told you? Anything interesting? Had any good, thoughtful conversations?"

"Uh. . . Sure."

"Oh, do tell! I'd rather live to hear of the things teenagers like thou talk about today. I bet much brilliant topics have come about your conversations."

His voice sounded _so forced_.

"Sooo. . . Yesterday we talked abou–"

"Lovely, story. Simply lovely. Now, did the boy say where he came from?"

She froze at the sudden cut off, tensing up. "Well. . . Yes, but–"

"Where?"

"Oh, I'm not really sure. It wasn't really a concrete place. I just know he said something along the lines of he lives somewhere and then his brother left and he wanted to become just like his brother so he came here and–"

"You poor child."

Sophie paused, looking at her uncle who had the smallest smile set up in his lips. "Huh?"

"I can't believe he's just lie to you like that. You're _friend_. Or. . . At least you _were_ friends, rught? "

She frowned. "What are you talking about? "

"Darling," he's whispered, "he doesn't want anything to do with this place. Her _despises_ his brother." The food grin on his face looked so sick and the words dwelt like a cold bucket of ice water to the face. ". . .How do you know that?" she said in a haunted voice.

Was this all some trick? No, why would Uncle Gethern trick her? He had no need to.

"Because I know what he's really doing. I know where he really came from. I know who's side he's on."

"W-wha–"

Gethen continued on, ignoring her. "He was apart of your past, Sophie."

"H-how–"

"He's not on your side."

"What are you talking about?!" she exclaimed.

He signed over-exaggeratedly. "You poor thing. You don't even know what he's done. You barely remember what they did to you. Why you lost your memories. . ."

Sophie froze. "Wait, you don't mean. . . He wasn't. . ." She choked on the bile riding in her throat and she couldn't say anymore. The realisation was like being hit with a splotcher.

"Oh yes," Gethen replied, smiling maniacally. "The day you lost your parents to that explosion. The day you lost your house. Your memories. Basically everything!" he laughed.

He moved over to the cactus, bent over and picked up the pot it was in and set it on the desk. He ran his fingers over the top over the spindles like it was a cat. Slowly, he lifted his too gleeful eyes to hers. "He's apart of the Black Swan."

* * *

 **(A/N:) if any of y'all don't understand, remember, Sophie was taken hostage by the Never seen a couple years ago (in this fic) and they erased her memories. Then, they told her lies like that the Black Swan was an evil organisation that set off tons of bombs and stuff around her house that killed her family and the explosions knocked her unconscious for so long that she lost all of her memories (which again, isn't true). So, to Sophie, the Black Swan is something** _ **really**_ **bad.**

 **And...**

 **Gethen just told her Fitz lied to her face and is apart of the organisation that tried to "kill" her.**

 **Oh boy...**


	28. UPDATE!

**in case you guys didn't see, i am rewriting double agent!**

 **you can find it in an entirely new story labeled "double agent (rewritten)" and you can find it on my profile!**

 **now here's a question: do you guys think i should post the rewritten chapters in here or keep them in the new book?**

 **hope you enjoy all that's coming, lovelies!**

 **(oh, yeah, if you also didn't see, i posted a new fluffy sophitz drabble called "simply unfaded".)**


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